WHO chief warning over Mediterranean diet
Again reflecting the high degree of interest in diet and health, news that the World Health Organization chief declared the Mediterranean diet ‘gone’ was another top performing story on social media in 2018.
The Mediterranean diet is frequently cited as one of the healthiest diets in the world thanks to a high proportion of fruit, vegetables, nuts, pulses and olive oil, and in 2013 it was added to UNESCO’s list of humanity’s intangible cultural heritage.
But, speaking at the European Congress on Obesity in Vienna, the Head WHO's European Office for the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) João Breda noted Greece, Italy, Spain and Cyprus have the highest levels of childhood obesity in Europe.
“The Mediterranean diet for the children in these countries is gone," he said. “There is no Mediterranean diet any more. Those who are close to the Mediterranean diet are the Swedish kids. The Mediterranean diet is gone and we need to recover it.”
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